President Obama signed late Thursday an $18 billion bill, H.R, 4851, extending COBRA health insurance premium subsidies for laid-off workers.
The bill, approved earlier in the day by the House and Senate, extends eligibility for a 15-month, 65 percent federal premium subsidy program to employees laid off between April 1 and May 31.
The president is pushing for lawmakers to pass legislation to extend the COBRA premium subsidies to employees laid off through the end of the year. The Senate has given approval to such a measure, but the House has yet to vote on it.
More COBRA subsidy coverage from BenefitsPro
- Goodbye, COBRA subsidy
- COBRA subsidy falls short
- A brokers' guide to COBRA changes
- COBRA enrollment remains high after subsidy ends
- Don't go COBRA alone
